Humidifier



Dec. M, 1928. 1,694,453

E. A. SPAULDING HUMIDIFIER Filed Ma c 12, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor.

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1,694,453 E. A. SPAULDING HUMIDIFIER Filed March 12 1928 2 heets-Sheet 2 Rig. 6

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Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

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. Application filed March 12, 19 28. Serial No. 260,981.

My. invention relates to apparatus employed in humidating the interlors of such places as mill rooms, shops or halls.

It is a well established fact that the proper conditioning of the air, especially with respect to its per cent' of humidity, in the work-rooms of typographical establishments and textile mills, to cite two instances, plays a very important andiconsequential part in their operation and particularly in the matter of procuring increased production.

The humidifying of enclosed spaces on an extensive scale has, heretofore, been a somewhat expensive undertaking, due largely to the fact that apparatus required for this purpose, of the highest efliciency and of moderate cost was not obtainable.

In the conception of the present invention, the general object I have sought to attain is the production of a thoroughly practicable, economically operable, water-vaporizing contrivance, adaptable for use in any one of numerous situati0ns requiring the humidification of confined air. 7

With this object in view I have devised and constructed novel apparatus by the use of which I am able to transform into vapor a relatively large proportion of the water delivered to the humidifier-resulting in a great saving of the humidifying medium.

Among other objects relating more specifically to the invention are-- 7 First: A draft-tube roviding an enclosed air passage from en to end of the humidifier.

Second: Normal impact of the air against the water covering the side of the distribut ing disc tending to smooth it out into a thin film before being impacted on the lmpeditive elements.

ThirdpA revoluble impeller disc which impacts with the partially vaporized water moving from the opposite direction, completing its disintegration into vapor.

Fourth: Provision for accelerating the movement of the vapor laden air just previous to its exit from the humidifier. The foregoing epitome discloses the principal objects of my invention; others, howover, will be apparent from the description found hereinafter in the specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which I have prepared for the purpose of illustrating my invention.

In the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my humidi- 'how the mechanical elements co-act to vaporize the water, and

Fig 8 is an alternative design'of the outer casing.

Similar characters of reference are employed to identify like or corresponding parts in all the views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 representsthe outer casing, or as it'might be termed,

the draft-tube, which is 0 en at both ends and extends the full lengt of the. humidifier.

ible of modification. It ma be made straight with ,short flaring en s as shown 'in Fig. 8, bu t for certain reasons'I prefer to construct it of a form as illustrated in The form of this outer casing is su'scept- Figs. 1 and 4, which provides for an en largement of the'exit end, the intermediate portion being of frusto' conical outline. In a frame 2 within} the casin I mount the motor 3, the end 4 of its ,sha t carrying the blower fan 5 capableof drawing air into and forcing it through the draft-tube. 'En closing a portion of the motor is a frustoconical shaped casing 6, the larger end of this inner casing being properly supported by the bolts 7.

Within the annular space 8 and similarly supported by the bolts 7 is the impeditive sleeve 9 having on its-periphery a plurality of obliquely set blades-9'. "As seen in Figs. 6 and 7 these blades are quite openly spaced for reasons hereinafter to be explained.

On the end 10 of the motor shaft are secured two discs, the inner one 11 serving asthe water distributing element, and the outer one 12 acting in a two-fold capacityfirst. to break up the already partially vaporized water into a finer mist, and secondly, to accelerate the movement of the air also supported by the bracket 15. Into this.

laden with this vaporous medium and force it with an increased velocity into the space to be humidated. I provide a space S between the two discs, which, principally for acquiring greater stiffness of the parts are dished, although so far as my invention is concerned they may be made flat throughout.

For a short distance inwardly from its periphery the disc 11 is made flat and this portion rotates in a transverse plane cutting the blades 9'. The periphery of this disc is in separate but quite close relation to the blades. J

The disc 12 is larger than the disc 11, its diameter being slightly less than that portion of the interior of the draft tube adjacent it, and on its periphery are a plurality of blades 12 set at such an angle with the axis of the draft tube as will cause, preferably, an accelerated movement of the air when it impinges on the blades.

Extending upwardly from some source of water supply under proper control of suitable delivery apparatus, which, however, forms no part of my present invention, is the water supply pipe 13, the upper end being bent to facilitate the localizing of the water as it is delivered tothe slower moving portion of the distributin disc,-which is near its axis. flowing to the motor bearing, I supply the collar 14: which traps the water until it eventually passes outwardly by centrifugal force along the side of the disc. 1

The humidifier may be supported in-any convenient manner, as by the bracket 15 which is secured to a post or beam in the room in which the apparatus is to operate.

Beneath the outer casing is a drip-pan 16,

pan any surplus water not vaporized in the umidifier may fall and be taken away throu h the pipe 17.

In ygrometrically controlled water supply devices for humidifying systems, it is desirable to pass moving air across the hygrometric element so as to obtain quicker action thereof in response to any changes in humidity of the air.

So as to make provision for this, 1 punch or shear a hole 18 through the side of the outer casing leaving the sheared portion 19 intact but bentinwardly at an angle which will deflect a certain amount of the rapidly moving air in the draft tube outwardly and into contact with the hygrometric element.

In describing the action of my humidifier when operating, let it be assumed that the motor is running and that water in the proper amount is being discharged from pipe 13 forming a coating over the side of To provi e against water The fan 5 is providing a continuous current of air from the room and passing'it through the draft tube, part of this air travelling near the outer margins of the annular space 8 but a considerable portion deflecting on the frusto-conical member 6 into the annular space 20 and against the coating of water on the fiat portion of the 'disc' 11. This has the effect of flattening out the li uid into a thin film on the disc, from whic it is immediately released, centrifugally, and strongly impacted against the impeditive blades 9.

This feature is an important one for the reason that the thin sheet of' water cut by the blades. is much more easily and thoroughly broken up or disintegrated into fine particles of spray or mist than could a more dense and bulky body of water released from the distributing disc.

By reference to Fig. 7 it will be observed that the blades 9 are so spaced, relatively, and their angularity with respect to the axis of the cone so established, that water thrown off the disc 11 in tangential lines will impact on their sides and be deflected in a direction substantially opposite from that in which would pass into theroom in substantially the same condition as it was when leaving the impeditive blades.

This situation is taken care of by the impeller disc 12, which, although revolving at.

the same axial speed as does the blower fan 5, has greater peripheral velocity, due to its being larger in diameter; and with the relative pitch an les of the blades in the two elements, .5 an 12, similar, the latter would naturally accelerate the air after its impinge ment therewith. j

It is obvious, also, that the movement of the air could be retarded by changing the pitch angle of the blades 12 if such a departure from the preferred plan was thought advisable I Reverting to Fig. 7 it will be noticed that the water coming off the distributing disc 11 travels in a direction coincident with the line it and is then deflected by the blades 9' in a direction indicated by line y. Air

driven forwardly by the blower fan 5 forces this water or vapor into contact with the revolving blades 12 which are moving in an opposed direction (see arrows) and the meet ing of the two elements,-the water and the blades cau'ses a violent impact therebetween, and also, again reverses the direction of movement of the water, as shown by line a.

This arrangement thus supplies two stages. of air propulsion,the first delivered from and produced by the blower fan 5 which furnishes the bulk or body of air in which the humidifying medium is partially vaporized and suspended, and the second, which,

through the agency of the impeller disc 12,

accelerates the air movement after a thorough disintegration of the liquid element has been effected. It further provides two reversals of movement of the water, transversely of the humidifier, previously to its being discharged therefrom.

The last forward impulse given the vapor by the impeller tends to produce a more widespread absorption of the moisture by the air throughout the room,vastly more, in fact, than if the blower fan 5 was solely depended on for'this service I lay considerable stress on the functional importance of the impeller disc 12, for through the agency of this element, more, perhaps, than to any one of the others, has the practical success of the humidifier been attained.

As I stated in my preamble, the outer casing of the humidifier may be fashioned in other forms and the one I elected to choose as the preferred embodiment of my invention.

For instance, I may take advantage of the lower cost of production involved in manufacturing the humidifier casing in the form of a substantially straight cylindrical mem her, in which case slight modifications in the design of the interior structure might be necessary,as' a change in the pitch angle of the blades of the impeller disc, or a more acute angle given the taper of the member 6, and possibly other changes, any and all of which, however, being conformable to the broad meaning and intent of the invention and coextensive with the appended claims.

Having thus described in detail the novel structural features of my humidifier and the advantages accruing in the practical operation thereof, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A humidifier, comprising an outer, continuous casing, a blower fan Within and at one end of said casing, a revoluble Water-distrihuting disc located interiorly of said casing and in axial alignment with the axis 01 said blower fan, means to conduct moving air to the outlying, border portions of the side of said disc, means to conduct water to the side of said disc, and means whereby the direction of movement of the water passing oil said disc through centrifugal force may be twice reversed, transversely of the axis of said disc and the speed of the Water and the vapor therefrom may be accelerated before being discharged from out of said casing.

2. A humidifier, comprising an outer cylindrical casing, means whereby air may be rapidly moved through said casing from the inlet toward the outlet end thereof, a

revoluhle water-distributing disc, means whereby water may be conducted to the side of said disc, means to rotate said disc, means whereby the water moving outwardly along the side of said disc may be subjected to a strong impingement of the'rapidly moving air, means adapted to resist the movement of the water centrifugally thrown from 03 saiddistributing disc, and a revoluble impeller disc having on its periphery a plurality of obliquely set blades, said blades being adapted to complete the disintegration of the Water into vapor and to force the latter at an accelerated speed out of said humidifier.

3. A humidifier, comprising an outer casing, a blower fan disposed within and at one end of said casing, means to actuate said blower fan, a rotatable water-distributing disc within said casing, means to conduct water to said disc, an inner casing within said outer casing, providing therebetween an annular space, said inner casing being so located as to direct a flow of rapidly moving air from said blower fan into strong impingement with the outlying, border portions of the side of said disc, and an impeditive element comprising a plurality of obliquely set blades positioned outwardly of but in close relation to said distributing disc, and means to rotate said disc.

4. A humidifier, comprising an outer, continuous casing, a blower fan within and at one end of said casing, means to rotate said blower fan, a rotatable water-distributing disc within said casing, an inner casing disposed in spaced relation with said outer cas-v ing whereby an annular space therebetween is provided, a fixed sleeve disposed within said annular space, a plurality of obliquely set blades on the periphery'of said sleeve, said blades being positioned outwardly of inner casin ada ted to rovide in con'unc-- tion with said outer casing, an annular space within said humidifier, a revoluble water distributing disc, one side thereof lying adjacent to and disposed transversely of one end of said inner casing, means to rotate said disc, conve i11 means to conduct water to the side 0 said distributing disc, a sleeve positioned within said beforementioned annular space and adapted to form, with said inner casing, a second annular space through which moving air from said blower fan may be impacted against the marginal side portions of said water distributing disc, a plurality of impeditive blades on the periphery I of said sleeve, the face of each blade being outercasing, arevoluble impeller-disc 1ocatedv adjacent and outwardly of said waterdistributin disc, and a plurality of blades on the periphery of said impeller disc, the

face of each blade being set at apitch angle with the axis of saiddisc such as will accelerate the air passing through said outer casing and reverse the direction of movement of the water and vapor after being deflected from the faces of the said impeditive blades.

. 6. A humidifier, comprising an outer,.cy--- lindrical casing, a blower fan in one end thereof, an inner casing, forming together with the said outer casing an annular space, arevoluble water-distributing disc, a plurality of impeditive elements arranged outwardly of and disposed in the same plane as the said water-distributing disc, means to conduct water to the side of said disc, a revoluble impeller-disc adjacent to but in separated relation to the said Water-distributing disc, and a plurality ofblades on the periphery of said impeller disc, said blades being so disposed within said outer casing that all water and vapor thrown off said distributing disc shall be subjected to impaction by said blades before passing outwardly from said outer casing. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EUGENE A. SPAULDING. 

